"The main objective of this legal action seems to be to make Isabel dos Santos's business in Angola unmanageable and thus force a sale or transfer of her goods to the Angolan State or to buyers politically close" to the executive, added the analyst.
Asked by Lusa about the seizure of the assets of Isabel dos Santos, her husband, Sindika Dokolo, and Portuguese Mário da Silva, Robert Besseling said he was "particularly interested in the choice of the end of the year eve for the disclosure of the freezing of assets.
"As there is little global news at this time of year, Isabel's story has been dominating the headlines for a week now," he said, adding: "It seems the legal decision was announced to create maximum media impact and add pressure on the Santos family to move away from investing in Angola," the analyst concluded.
The Luanda Provincial Court ordered the preventive seizure of personal bank accounts of Isabel dos Santos, her husband Sindika Dokolo, and Portuguese Mário da Silva, in addition to nine companies in which they hold shares.
A statement issued on 30 December by PGR states that the National Asset Recovery Service has filed for an injunction to seize Isabel dos Santos, Sindika Dokolo and Mário Filipe Moreira Leite da Silva at the Luanda Provincial Court.
According to PGR, Isabel dos Santos, daughter of the former President of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos, Sindika Dokolo, husband of Isabel dos Santos, and Mário Silva entered into business with the State through Sodiam, a state-owned diamond sales company, and with Sonangol, a state-owned oil company.
Isabel dos Santos reacted by saying that she was never notified or heard in the investigation that led to the seizure of her accounts in Angola, denying the accusations in which she is targeted in a case that she claims to be "politically motivated".
In a statement, the businesswoman said "that she was never notified by the Attorney General's Office or cited by the Provincial Court of Luanda," unaware of the content of the accusation and that she "did not have the opportunity to present a defence.
